1
2
British
: crankcase
3
[German Sumpf, literally, marsh, from Middle High German — more at swamp]
a
: the lowest part of a mine shaft into which water drains
b
: an excavation ahead of regular work in driving a mine tunnel or sinking a mine shaft
4
: something resembling a sump : sink sense 2
Examples of sump in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
To help cope with the additional output of nearly 200 hp routed to larger tire-contact patches, Chevy significantly revised the transaxle with an additional clutch disc, a deeper hydraulic oil sump, internal baffles, beefed-up output shafts and a higher 5.56 final drive ratio.
—
Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 4 Oct. 2022
The Corvette gets a dry sump oiling system that's better for the track, while the ZL1 uses a tried and true wet sump design.
—Fox News Staff, Fox News, 3 July 2022
It’s based on the mill found in the 330 GT and comes equipped with a dry oil sump, dual ignition, three valves per cylinder instead of four, and twin sparkplugs per cylinder.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 2 May 2023
According to CalGEM documents the news organizations obtained through public records requests, errant firms have left leaking wells, tanks, sump ponds and other problems across the state, posing threats to public health and wildlife.
—Janet Wilson, ProPublica, 22 Mar. 2021
Dreams lost in an oil sump.
—Steph Cha, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2023
The water seeps from the lake through cracks in the rock and is routed to drains and a sump, then pumped to the river below the dam.
—Sophia Eppolito, The Arizona Republic, 7 Aug. 2021
That bullet hit a gravity sump.
—Bill Heavey, Field & Stream, 13 Dec. 2020
The Tatra engine was advanced for the time, with overhead valves in hemispherical combustion chambers and dry-sump lubrication for the oil system.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 23 Jan. 2023
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Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 4 Oct. 2022
The Corvette gets a dry sump oiling system that's better for the track, while the ZL1 uses a tried and true wet sump design.
—Fox News Staff, Fox News, 3 July 2022
It’s based on the mill found in the 330 GT and comes equipped with a dry oil sump, dual ignition, three valves per cylinder instead of four, and twin sparkplugs per cylinder.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 2 May 2023
According to CalGEM documents the news organizations obtained through public records requests, errant firms have left leaking wells, tanks, sump ponds and other problems across the state, posing threats to public health and wildlife.
—Janet Wilson, ProPublica, 22 Mar. 2021
Dreams lost in an oil sump.
—Steph Cha, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2023
The water seeps from the lake through cracks in the rock and is routed to drains and a sump, then pumped to the river below the dam.
—Sophia Eppolito, The Arizona Republic, 7 Aug. 2021
That bullet hit a gravity sump.
—Bill Heavey, Field & Stream, 13 Dec. 2020
The Tatra engine was advanced for the time, with overhead valves in hemispherical combustion chambers and dry-sump lubrication for the oil system.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 23 Jan. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sump.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Sump.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sump. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.
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Kids Definition
sump
noun
: a pit or reservoir serving as a container or as a drain for liquids
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